#The Divine Creators are not roommates

[feroshgirlsims]

Chapter 6 - Prologue for a New After-Life

Excerpt from "The After-life for Gods and Monsters," location of book unknown.

[flashback]

It should be said that the space between universes was not a bar. You couldn't just stumble in whenever you wanted and pour yourself a drink.

Even if you were the most silver-tongued of creatures.

Even if you were fast as the fae.

"Akira Kibo, the after-life is not a free-for-all," Substance huffs, folding her arms. 

"Yeah, and if you ain't want visitors, you shoulda been faster closing the door." 

It was a technicality. But then again, technicalities were the lifeblood of the fae. 

Substance rolls her eyes, “Your father was like you. Fast enough to slip in here and take something that was ours. I hear the birds are still eating his liver."

"Sounds about right,” Akira smirks, “He was kind of an asshole.” 

And there, the creature standing before the Divine Creators demonstrated that he knew the foundational rule of the universe: 

Fuck around and find out.

“Akira Kibo, last one left,” Time observes in her honeyed voice. "Ancient upon ancient. Cursed with the speed that made you at once a harbinger and a relic. You must be lonely."

“I don’t gotta be,” Akira replies. “The Reaper's scythe is not a requirement for a new life.”

It was a law so arcane that the Divine Creators almost forgot they made it.

"You’ve done your reading," Substance allows, "And what would you offer in exchange for this new life? Would you get back what your father stole?”

"In exchange, I will make sure that what my father took ends up where it belongs."

As far as deals went, it left a lot to be desired. The fae can't lie, which wasn't the same as saying they don't lie, so that single statement presented loopholes upon loopholes.

But it was as close to satisfaction as the Creators were going to get. 

"It's tricky, starting a new life without death," Time purses her lips. "All this experience will be muscle memory, a life you feel but can't remember. You and your sister will be in between."

Akira shrugs. "We got over losing godhood. Pretty fuckin' sure we'll survive this." 

"So confident!" Time quirks a brow, "Alright. Have your new life, Akira. But first, a question. Who would you be in a whole new world? What would you do with a new set of circumstances?"

"I wouldn't be the last."

“I would keep them safe.”

It should be said that the Divine Creators were not usually chatty. Usually, they did not tell you shit. But sometimes, when you made a thing, you had a soft spot, and so, just before Akira reaches the doors, Time calls out:

“They will be unruly, Akira. And loathe to listen. They will make you break your rules and forget your vows. They will test your boundaries and leave you wanting. Death will come for you. And woe be unto the creatures standing in the way of the Hunt for your heart.”

With those parting words, the Creators watch as Akira walks out the doors and falls into his next life.

"The screaming is always so loud. We should change things up," Time muses. "What about a nice bayou instead of a warehouse? We could drown everyone in a lake instead of dropping them onto concrete."

“It won’t work,” Substance grumbles.

“Of course it will. I already have the perfect piece of property picked out.”

"Not your swamp. This plan. I don't like it."

Time is unphased. She sinks to her knees behind her wife, placing a steadying hand on her hip. "You worry too much."

“And you don't worry enough,” Substance tilts her head back. She bites down on a moan, fighting against the distraction. “You promised me an eternity of torment, and now we’ll have to free him because if the son exists, so too must the father.”

“You are too tense,” Time plants the softest kiss at the base of her wife's spine, “Remember when we killed all the gods and replaced them? This is like that. It's a good plan."

"But my birds are—"

Another kiss. "The birds won’t go hungry for too long. Akira will remember his task.”

“The living don’t remember shit.” Substance snaps, but her voice is breathless. "And anyway, he's too fast. Cursed with it."

“Then Death, my love, will just have to catch him.”

PREV | NEXT

(I was going to have them pour each other wine, but then this pose by @fallstaticexit came for my throat, and it is PERFECTION)

[hd-hurtcomfort-fest]

***CREATOR REVEALS MASTER LIST***

And that's a wrap, y'all! As we reflect on this fest at its conclusion, we are humbled and honored by the love and support from our fellow fluffy fanatics, angst afficiandos and hurt/comfort connoisseurs. Thank you all for making this an incredible first year.

A very special thank you to all our brilliant participants! This fest is nothing without you and your teams of diligent betas, alphas, and cheerleaders. It takes a village, and we appreciate your efforts.

And finally, this fest would flounder in the void without you, dear readers, viewers, listeners, and reccers! Thank you for joining us on this maiden journey! You stoke our creative fires with your loving and positive support and for this we thank you.

We have planned a few closing posts, including fest stats and our guessing game winner! And participants and reccers, be sure to @ us in your posts so we may reblog!

***MASTER LIST BELOW THE CUT!***

xo Your HD Hurt/Comfort Mods @orangepellets, @peachpety, @vukovich

***CREATOR MASTER LIST***

*** Hyacinth by oknowkiss Angst || M || 7k

My Kingdom For Your Laugh by UsagiTatsu Fluff || G || 9.7k

*** Final Exams at the Curse-Breaker's Academy by IzRoan Hurt/Comfort || M || 20.2k

Of Towers and Tales [ART] by reliand Hurt/Comfort || T || Art

*** The Roommate by Romaine [PODFIC] by CailynWrites Fluff || M || 4hours

a small room under the earth by dracopetal Angst || M || 2.3k

*** Come Hell or High Water by mallstars Hurt/Comfort || M || 22.1k

Divine Intervention by JessicaLuci Fluff || T || 6.5k

*** Harry Potter and the Unintended Horcrux by aCanadianMuggle Hurt/Comfort || E || 59k

*** isn't a kingdom by garagepaperback Hurt/Comfort || E || 53.2k

*** A Surprising Agenda by Orpheous87 Fluff || G || 7.3k

You only feel it when it's lost [ART] by Pato_roldnart Hurt/Comfort || T || Art

*** Fine-Fractured Halo by Rainjuly Angst || E || 29k

Something We Create by DayDreamingFoxglove Fluff || E || 16.5k

*** Future Histories by thecouchsofa Fluff || T || 6k

(Not) a Hot Nurse by Etteee Fluff || G || 2k

*** En Passant by DodgerKedavra Hurt/Comfort || E || 45.4k

*** Be still my beating heart. by Lizziedrip Hurt/Comfort || T || 18.4k

Pain: ON by The_saphire_potterhead Hurt/Comfort || M || 17.2k

*** Thief by shushu_yaoi_lj (orange-peony) Hurt/Comfort || E || 21.5k

Malfoy's Moving Manor [ART] by Yoro_Kobi (Aphlaton) Fluff || G || Art

*** The Malfoys vs Family Counseling by duchessdulce Fluff || T || 24.4k

Piece by Piece by TheBashfulPoet Hurt/Comfort || E || 6.5k

*** and another one by nv-md Fluff || M || 1.6k

Seven Year Itch by mintaminta Angst || E || 5.6k

*** An Extremely Indecent Proposal by Jelliebabie Hurt/Comfort || E || 33.2k

*** Live Laugh Love, Draco Malfoy by Phantasmagoria Hurt/Comfort || E || 16.4k

The Stories We Tell by Maraudersaffair Hurt/Comfort || E || 10.7k

*** Let Me Stay by Phoebe_Delia Hurt/Comfort || M || 1k

At the Center by violenttulips [PODFIC] by reveriepi Hurt/Comfort || E || 10-20min

*** Black Books by Sarendal Fluff || E || 14.5k

*** S.P.U.N.K. by my_castlescrumbling (Cas) Fluff || M || 4.3k

close enough by lucio Angst || M || 2.2k

*** Fate's Caveat by Squibnation10 Angst || M || 43.4k

[1d-flower-fest]

1D Flower Fest 2024 Masterpost

Below you can find all the amazing creations that our creators made. Thank you so much to those who participated!

🌸 Language Of A Petal by @bittersweetsin | bittersweetsin Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik | Explicit | 15.1k | fic post

"Wait, you're reading Divin-" "-Divined Souls? Yup," Harry finished for him. Starving off a grin, Louis says, "Have you actually been stalking me all this time and just lied about not knowing me?" "Guess we'll never know." or Louis is a librarian, and Harry comes in all the time to return books he's finished reading. Every time Louis opens the book to check for any damages, there's always a flower hidden in between one of the pages, specifically on a paragraph that has a deep meaning.

🌸 I was on my way to Buy some Flowers for You by @srldesigns6277 | srldesigns6277 Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | Teen and Up Audiences | 17.6k | fic post

After eight years of friendship, Harry and Louis are content with their lives together. Co-existing as best friends and roommates while teaching at their local high school. One weekend, Harry is taken away from his routine with Louis to help out his sister and niece. Neither knew that this would seem to be the straw that breaks the camel's back, and Harry ends up in the hospital unresponsive. Louis and Gemma have to figure out what's wrong with Harry and how to help before his condition worsens. However, Louis might be a lot more integral to Harry's recovery than any of them could have known. - Better known as a Accidental Courting and Mating fic between Alpha Harry and Alpha Louis

Fan Art by @louieshalo

🌸 someday we gonna fall in love by @gricha91 | gricha Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik | Mature | 24.8k | fic post

Niall drags Harry to a music concert; he gets bonus points and Harry gets a new crush, who soon becomes the most important person and star of his dreams. Or a uni au where Harry falls in love with Louis, a music student, and he falls in love back. Story based on prompt 4: Louis' first time receiving flowers

Listen to music by @wendersfive | Fond of flowers by @wendersfive

🌸 Can't Imagine You Without The Same Smile In Your Eyes by @galacticlarry | galactic_larry Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | Teen and Up Audiences | 4.1k | fic post

It's been over a week since Harry's first semester at university began, and he has had zero new exciting friendships or noteworthy experiences, just a bizarre dream that keeps waking him up in the middle of the night. What happens when the boy with the pretty blue eyes from his psychology class catches his eye and starts occupying his mind?

🌸 Drowning on a dry land by @lunaticcat009 | lunaticcat009 Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | Explicit | 13.1k | fic post

"The flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst..." Harry and Louis hit the rock bottom in their relationship. Turns out, there's no rock bottom if you have a shovel; you can always dig deeper and crawl further into the endless space until there's a crater in your heart where all the love was treasured. -OR- Louis visits a flower shop in his last-ditch attempt to hold on to at least something they had.

Comic by @liminalkitty369

[ilovewritingfics]

Shoutout for @moongurl95 for sharing the wonderful HL October list for me to enjoy. :)

In honor of Hogwarts Legacy October month!

(In-game look and artwork version drawn by me!)

DAY 1: INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR MC

But first, get to know her creator:

I first started playing HL since May. I was a 2nd year college student when me and my older sister decided to buy the game on Steam. I'm a girl who loves Harry Potter world for its unique fantasy with a mix of real-life. So buying the game is a dream come true to achieve all my wishes to explore Hogwarts and be the witch of my dreams!

And that's all for facts about me, its time to introduced to you my HL MC: Anais Ainsley!

Story:

Born on Scotland, Anais is a half-blood daughter of two farmers, her mom is Carmila Ainsley, the half-blood while her father is Harold Ainsley, the pure-blood of the family. She is a neighborly child who gracefully respects her adults and polite to her peers. She loves books and her countryside life. She found out that she's a squib much to her dismay of unable to experience magic like her parents and her childhood friend, Owen, but they didn't love her any less. From their unconditional love and support, Anais decided to have a future as a farmer like them.

Unfortunately her life, since her birthday, turn into a series of multiple tragedies when she lost her father to a drunk pure-blood supremacist, Owen to the Unforgivable curses and left her in pain, and her mom becoming the shell of her former self. Home is never the same until she receives hope in a letter on her 15th birthday.

And how could Anais say no to her second chance to start a new life?

About her:

Her boggart is Failing her duties and everyone suffering as a result

Finding out her magic in 5th year, she now dreams to be a Healer.

She is the most beautiful student of Hogwarts due to her natural Victorian standards, much to the jealousy of her rich and pure-blood schoolmates

She has one mole under each eye.

Anais has a classic length hair

Sorted to Hufflepuff and roommates with Poppy and Adelaide

Best friends with Natty and Poppy

Her wand is Spiral, Willow wood, Phoenix feather, 12 inch, Unyielding and uses the brown and gold botanical wand handle

Her Amortentia is warm meadow, floral perfume, and afternoon tea

She is a sweet tooth and flexitarian (although the term is not coined till 1992), due to her parents being farmers and meat is expensive for their budget.

The only candy she eats is Elephant on the bicycle

Her favorite subjects are Potions Class, Care of Magical Creatures class, Herbology Class, DATDA, Flying Class

Her least favorite subject is Divination

She hates the Unforgivable curses due to what happened with Owen

Her hobbies are playing her lyre, singing, embroidering, cooking, baking, Summoner’s Court, sketching, reading books, pressing wildflowers, foraging, swimming, flying, kite flying, riding her beast companions

A literal badger: kind and innocent at first until her love ones are threatened

She is an ambidextrous

Learns Braille for Ominis

Loves to watch Quidditch thanks to Sebastian

Anais is easy to give gifts to as long as its pretty and thoughtful like beautiful rocks or homemade sweets.

She abhors being called stupid, and gets angry to cover her fear of being incapable 

Anais never discriminated against all magical beings

Anais loves to sneak into the kitchen and steal some sweets and bread, much to the house-elves’ amusement

Anais works part-time in the Three Broomsticks to help her mother

Anais has a soothing and soft voice

Her barn owl is named Soren

Her favorite Hogsmeade shops are Steeply and Sons, Honeydukes, and Zonkos

Hogwarts Castle is alive and loyal to Anais

Always seen carrying a different book

She loves long warm baths and braided hairstyles

Professor Fig teaches Anais how to apparate and bits of magical theory in their free time.

So that's all I could share about my MC, the rest I just have to expand in my story which I still debate if I should share it to everyone.

[dhr-ao3]

[Podfic] 'The Darkwood Wand' by ThebeMoon

[Podfic] 'The Darkwood Wand' by ThebeMoon https://ift.tt/HrjMvEV by thedramionearchives (dittanyanddreams) This is an audio podfic version of 'The Darkwood Wand' by ThebeMoon, recorded with author permission. Draco Malfoy is harsh and cold and hated at Hogwarts. And Draco is fine with this. He’s even casting the Vanishing Cabinet spell again, although for a much less nefarious purpose. This time he's using Harmonia Nectere Passus to link his bed with the bed of a willing witch. But something goes horribly wrong, and instead of the buzzy flirt Draco's been secretly meeting, his bed keeps delivering an extremely unamused Hermione Granger. So begins Draco’s travesty of an Eighth Year on probation, where nothing ever goes to plan and good deeds NEVER pay. His Divination classes are a disaster, his mother owls him daily prophecies of doom, a rabid she-weasel stalks him through the castle, and his mad roommate from Durmstrang plots to avenge the Dark Lord. Each day sparks an internal battle between Draco’s calculating Malfoy nature and his reckless Black side. Every night brings Granger back again, wreaking havoc with his body and mind. Draco is convinced he's headed straight back to Azkaban and he’s almost looking forward to the trip. Words: 64, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Romilda Vane, Sybill Trelawney, Isobel MacDougal, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Garrick Ollivander, Crookshanks (Harry Potter), Minerva McGonagall, Luna Lovegood, Cormac McLaggen, Poppy Pomfrey, Astoria Greengrass, Daphne Greengrass, Horace Slughorn, Original Male Character(s) Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Divination, Slytherin, Slytherin Dungeons, Vanishing Cabinets (Harry Potter), Wandlore (Harry Potter), Humor, Polyjuice Potion (Harry Potter), POV Draco Malfoy, POV Hermione Granger, poorly executed seduction, Ravenclaw Culture, Xylomancy, Astrology, Scrying Mirrors, Numerology, Tarot, Negotiation Table, Magical Research Surveys and Studies, Magical Pythons, Fire-Breathing Chickens, Post-It Notes of Doom, Cursed objects, Strange Tea Parties, magical mirrors, Plants With Personalities, Snakes With Glasses, Slow Burn, Sexual Content, The Slug Club (Harry Potter), Mildly Dubious Consent, Suicidal Thoughts via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/iEtrH70 June 14, 2024 at 09:58PM

[thatravenpuffgirl]

Mary McDonald headcannons

Half-blood

Enjoyed anything to do with fashion, makeup and hair

Loved going to muggle thrift shops in London during the holidays

Mary wanted to become a seamstress or something like that, having her own store to design and make her own outfits to sell

Whenever she had made new outfits, she'd enlist her roommates to try them on to see how they looked, and the girls would always make a show out of taking turns walking around the room like it was a runway, muggle records (courtesy of Lily) playing in the background as the other girls clapped and laughed as they each made ridiculous poses

Mary's favourite classes were Divination and Charms

She took up tarot reading after starting divination in her third year and loved it

Since then, her friends have often come to her for a reading to get advice, and most have reported her readings to be scarily accurate.

Her roommates always tease her for the amount of luggage she brings to Hogwarts - mostly full of clothes and make-up, and it's a running joke that every time Mary shows her deep love of fashion and such, the others sing the muggle song "Material Girl"

During her time at Hogwarts, she had a tabby cat named Mittens

Mary was quite good at Charms and was actually the creator of multiple hair-braiding and make-up charms, although she still enjoyed doing it herself.

Mary was a hopeless romantic, which surprised some of her friends, viewing her as mostly put together and a realist. But, as a Half-blood, she grew up hearing about muggle fairytales as well as wizard fairytales, and she was always fascinated by them.

She also likes reading muggle books in general, especially poetry, and authors like Shakespeare and Jane Austen, similar to Lily

Mary developed a crush on Regulus Black, who was a year older than her, in her fourth year, after getting into a conversation with him about Their favourite poems one day. And from then on, she found a side of Regulus that was quite kind and thoughtful.

Mary and Lily were especially close, bonding over their experiences in the muggle world, constantly braiding each other's hair and chatting non-stop about muggle boys, music, and gossip, amongst other things, with most of their other friends being utterly confused, which just made them laugh

Mary was half Irish (on her father's side) and half French (on her mother's side)

This led to having an odd mix between the two accents and also meant that she could talk quite properly one minute and then use lots of Irish slang the next, Like:

"Lily, would you be a dear and pass me that red lipstick?"

"Honestly, James, you made a right bags of it, didn't you?"

Because she's Irish, she also knows how to Irish dance

After Mary finished school she went on a trip to France, with her roommates, Regulus, James and the other boys

Because of her talent in divination, Mary loved Pandora and Sybill, and enjoyed their gossiping about what was on the cards for them all and sneaking out onto the astronomy tower to stargaze.

She enjoyed cooking with Peter, their specialty was apple pie

[versadies]

welcome to teyvat’s penpal service !

here to see beloved stories from far and beyond? take your time and explore !

mondstadt - city of freedom

liyue harbor - city of contracts

inazuma - nation of eternity

sumeru - nation of knowledge

snezhnaya - region of everlasting winter

khaneri’ah - the fallen kingdom

beloved creator - universe of divine creator (sagau)

festive events - milestone event navigation

yae’s publishing service ! - universe of light novels and manhwas ! (manhwa au)

you have received a message ! — universe of social media (smau)

various !

the way of the househusband au!

a masterlist composing my works related to the way of the househusband au

general hc (mondstadt)

hc on what it’s like to date them.

general hc (liyue)

hc on what it’s like to date them.

lantern rite festival hc

hc on how you celebrate lantern rite festival with them.

sick hc

hc on how you take care of them being sick.

sick hc (2)

hc on how they take care of you being sick.

drunk hc

hc on what they’re like being drunk

stargazing + first kiss

hc on how you share your first kiss with them under the stars

better than i

hc on how you (try to) redirect their feelings towards someone else.

sayonara

hc scenario on you two arguing and ended up with you leaving and not coming back

chubby!reader

general hc with them and chubby!reader

we’ll be alright

hc on how they comfort you when you breakdown in front of them for the first time.

shared apartment au

in which you move in to an apartment and meet strange neighbors and roommates.

how they play windtrace

hc on how they play windtrace (not reader-centered)

red light, green light (squid game!au)

in which you were invited to go to an unknown place where you can get everything you want with a game of life and death.

made with love

in which you cook for each other ( collab )

life’s no dress rehearsal

in which you spend prom with them ( collab, prom!au )

celebrating your birthday (bday special!)

how they spend your birthday

special anniversary (1 year anniversary blog special!)

how they celebrate your anniversary together

ruler x knight trope brainrot

after a terrible incident which led to your parents’ death, you became the ruler of your land at a young age. however, knowing the dangers to come due to your position, you knew you’re going to need more than just one knight to protect you from harm.

in a world of boys he’s a gentleman!

the gentleman-like things they do for you.

my love, mine, all mine

which body part they kiss the most.

[unwrittenlibrary]

Tee’s Summer Reads 🖤

hi all! as summer comes to a close and classes start back up again, i wanted to come on here and share some pieces i read over break that i just loved.

as always, heed to any and all warnings each creator has put in place. eighteen plus spaces deserve respect and you are urged to show them it.

— ➶ —

Bucky Barnes

i wished one the moon for you by @sunmoonandbucky • “After losing Bucky, you were devastated. So when Howard Stark asks for volunteers for an experiment, you're the first in line.” -> 40s buck & present bucky? love that lasts through time? love it

the shot heard round the tower & unwarranted weakness by @pellucid-constellations • “you just want to know if bucky has feelings for you. bucky just wants you to be okay.” -> these two pieces can be read separately, but i highly suggest reading them both because bucky is written so well and they made me feel warm all over. 

see the world the way you do by @vanderlustwords • “you start to see color when you meet your soulmate. bucky thinks that soulmates are a one of a kind thing.” -> there are So many lines in this that just... sit with you. i felt so much reading this. that tight feeling in your chest, pure happiness, anger... i just absolutely loved this. 

a little old fashioned by @gogolucky13 • “bucky is a bit subtle in telling you he likes you.”-> behold...sweet, shy comfort fic bucky. i go back and read this when i’m sad. 

he’s a good friend by @markandlexies • “reader is tired of watching bucky go on dates with leah and flirt with sarah.” -> give me all the oblivious, pining friends to lovers. just incredible writing and a truly lovely piece. 

tap by @houseravenclaws •  “bucky never talked much, he fell in love anyway.” -> you KNOW i already love sarah’s writing, it was on my last list. HERE’S MORE! this fic tore me apart in the best way and i still think about it all the time. it has become a go to. 

all the good things by @/houseravenclaws • “bucky’s been a little more than happy recently. sam thinks it has something to do with the pretty girl on the team.” -> need i say more? i needn’t say more. 

i love you, you idiot by @chrisevansjellybeans • “we’re best friends but won’t say we’re in love trope.” -> this fic made my heart sore. i love when writers have the ability to show love through the smallest of details and this fic did that so well. 

the things you’ve done by @divine-mistake • “what if the world ended tomorrow and all he did was spend his last day with you thinking about how you never hold his metal hand and you never walk on his left side and you constantly reach for his right arm?” -> OHHHHHHHHH MAN oh man this fic left me in shambles. absolute shambles and gave me a big, bright smile. insecure!bucky just does something to me. bucky is written perfectly in this. 

cornerstone by @agentofbarnes • this is a piece of zee’s (incredible) barnes’ au where bucky and reader (babydoll) are married with kids. -> i love the entire barnes’ au, but this piece honestly meant so much to me??? seeing bucky as an incredibly loving and open father just makes me so happy. 

leather jacket full of cats by @bucksfucks • “bucky brings home kittens.” -> nora doesn’t write fluff, but when she does it comes out absolutely incredible???? bucky and kittens?? PLEASE this made so happy (hi keep an eye out for more of nora’s work in the nsfw section) 

bulova by @babycap • “in the five years between the two snaps that changed it all, life had moved on, as life is want to do. In the aftermath of that final battle, you discover that time waited for no one (least of all you), and those you loved marched forward into it without you. Sam suggests you volunteer at the local retirement community to keep you busy, keep your mind from lingering on what—and who—you lost. In giving back, you find that time can be just as generous as it is cruel.” -> this is a babycap (dev my love) fan account. i have never read such beautiful words & i am always so stunned by the amazing works that dev puts out. i get so excited to read them. 

sunset by @belladonnabarnes • “bucky meets a pretty girl and her little sister at the zoo.” -> how did you know it was my dream to meet bucky at the zoo jaye?????? ahhhhh i loved this fic so much, it was so incredibly sweet i had the dopiest smile on my face when reading it. 

crawl home to her by @wkemeup • “stranded without coms, alone, and bleeding out in the middle of a russian snow storm, bucky is content to let nature take its course. only you won’t seem to let him go.” -> this fic is a masterpiece. a genuine piece of art. i was on the edge of my seat reading it, hoping i could faster than possible just to find out if bucky made it.

suburbia by @/wkemeup • “posing as husband and wife, you and bucky infiltrate a quaint suburban neighborhood in search of a hydra hacker. perhaps if you weren’t so in love with him and he hadn’t broken your heart, the act of pretending wouldn’t hurt so much.” -> yeah this one HURT. in the best way, an absolute favorite. so so so good.

that was premonition, i think by @divine-mistake • “sometimes you wish you had never fallen in love with bucky. screw that ‘it’s better to have loved and lost’ bullshit. you wish you had never fallen in love with bucky barnes.” -> just so so good. i was speechless after reading.

Others

Sam Wilson

the summertime and butterflies all belong to your creation by @golden-bucky • “you’ve never been one for baseball, but sam wilson is enough to change your mind.” -> ok. listen. i HAVE always loved baseball and this fic made me dream of mr. sam wilson in a lil uniform and me cheering him on. it was so sweet and i just loved it. a dream come true.

scary love by @bvckysmoon • “the first ‘i love yous’ are always scary.” -> being in love with sam wilson? yes please! this fic is so tooth achingly sweet, i adore it.

that way by @belouva • “you don’t know what label to fall under anymore. were you his roommate, friend or his lover?” -> i love roommate! sam… the first two parts of this series are so good.

Steve Rogers

you don’t know by @/divine-mistake • “until her gaze falls on you and her lovesick puppy dog eyes morph into saucers, leaving her frozen in pure shock. that visage quickly melts away to reveal a smug smile, aimed right at you, and you know exactly what she’s thinking at this moment.” -> steve & plus-size reader! i actually teared up, this fic hit really close to home and is beautifully written.

Spencer Reid

the one where everyone finds out by @reidscanehand • “Spencer Reid is in love with Y/N, and she’s in love with him...only they don’t know it yet...and they might be are definitely going to be the very last to know. And since Spencer and Y/N happen to be surrounded by the best profilers in the country, the rest of the team is, of course, the first to piece together the romance. Little by little, bit by bit, the team solves the case of Spencer and Y/N.” -> i constantly go back and reread this fic… it means so much to me!

work wife by @differentkettleoffishalltogether • “Spencer can’t help but feel a little jealous when it seems like his best friend is interested in someone else.” -> best friend spencer & love confessions? yeah that’s what i like.

Aaron Hotchner

dream a little dream by @ssahotchswife • “Following an injury, the reader dreams about time spent with Aaron Hotchner and his son. She relives heartbreak about Aaron's relationship with Beth and the love she has for Jack. Aaron must come to terms with his feelings for the reader when she wakes.” -> aaron hotchner is my comfort man and this fic makes my chest ache

NSFW

just friends by @/bucksfucks • “you and chris are just friends, right?” -> chris evans please i’m free on saturday

forbidden fruit by @/bucksfucks • “you attempt to set your ex’s things on fire. bucky has a better idea.” -> dadsbestfriend!bucky has my heart and it’s literally because of nora’s writing

appointments by @buckycuddlebuddy • “bucky barnes, finally being able to live freely in 21st century, accidentally gets a fuck buddy and starts to rediscover himself. the only weird thing about this situation is that you have to make an appointment to get railed by him.” -> ooooooooof i love this lil series so much

— ➶ —

these are all of my summer reads!!! i’ll definitely post another one after fall semester, this will most likely be a seasonal thing.

[limerancy-fics]

limerancy Masterpost

This is a masterpost of everything on this blog, for ease. It will be updated regularly. Please refer to my rules before sending in an ask or submission (under the cut for mobile users).

Genshin Fics

Xiaoven

Seeds of Stories, Brought By The Wind

who am i darling, to you?

the depth of devotion (NSFW)

there’s less glory in a rising sun than in the day that your life begun

all my nights taste like gold

and they were roommates.....

this side of paradise

pink in the night

and i know i’ve kissed you before (NSFW)

Modern AU

it’s just a little crush

love me like you do

this is our fate, i′m yours

won't you fall for me?

lover, please stay (before we drift away)

Canonverse

divine but not devout (NSFW)

Misc AU

Xiaoven Week (2022)

Tags

Fics

Xiaoven

who am i darling, to you? and waidtyverse

and i know i've kissed you before

and they were roommates.....

miscellaneous oneshots (modern au) (canonverse) (misc au)

Xiaoven Week (2022) (2022 NSFW)

Fanart

Questions

fic questions

headcanon lists

scenarios

miscellaneous

NSFW

comments

Fic Recs

Playlists

and i know i've kissed you before

and they were roommates.....

who am i darling, to you?

Rules

Please read these before interacting with me. This list may occasionally be updated if necessary. I will make a post about any updates made to these in the future.

1. NO MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH. I do not want major character death, I do not want you to send me anything about it, I don’t want anything to do with it

2. I absolutely don’t want anything with Xiao and Venti being with other people. I am not multiship with them

3. Accept that I will not want to answer some things. If you don’t see your question answered, don’t bother me about it. Just accept that I didn’t answer it and move on

4. It’s okay to ask about ships other than Xiao/Venti! I know that’s what I talk about the most, but you don’t have to ask about just them. That being said, there are some (romantic) ships that I don’t want anything to do with:

Kaeya/Diluc

Aether/Lumine

Zhongli/Xiao; Zhongli/Venti; Zhongli/Xiao/Venti

Xiao/Ganyu

Xiao/Chongyun; Xingqiu; Hu Tao; etc

Venti/Barbara; Bennett; Razor; etc

Venti/Signora

Venti/Carmen | Nameless Bard

Please also be aware that this list may be updated. If you’re mad or offended that I don’t want anything to do with these ships, please block me and move on

5. If you ask me about above ships, try to debate me about above ships, send me hate about above ships, or otherwise bring them up, it will result in an instant block

6. Do not send me things related to gore, incest, pedophilia, non-con/rape, or major character death. This will result in an instant block

7. No discourse. I swear to everything holy, if you try to bring fandom/ship discourse into my inbox, I will block you with no hesitation

8. I have a life outside of this. I am an adult with responsibilities. It’s okay to check in on fic progress, but do NOT bother me or get upset if I don’t update in a timely manner

9. Do not ask for personal/identifying information

10. I understand that stories and fandom can be important to many people. Stories are very important to me. However, do not tell me that my writing/updates are genuinely your only reason for living/what’s keeping you alive/your only source of happiness. This makes me extremely uncomfortable and makes me feel guilty about not prioritizing my fics over other things in my life. Even if you feel this way, please do not tell me. You can express your appreciation and love for my writing and stories, you can say that my stories have helped you, but do not say you rely on my consistent updating to live

11. Do not put me on a pedestal. Do not claim I am the only correct author of a certain character or ship. I do not want a fandom of my own, nor do I want to be treated like a Professional Content Creator or the sole source of knowledge on certain characters/ships. I am not their creator. I cannot tell you what’s wrong or right. I can only speak on my interpretations and portrayals of these already existing characters and worlds

12. If you cross my boundaries or break these rules (especially multiple times), I will block you. And YES, I can block anonymous users on Tumblr. Hiding behind anon will not save you

[y0u-f4il3d-m3]

Nikei looked at Sora before he let out a sigh. "Seriously? You're still going through with this? Couldn't you just ask him to live there? Or did you both forget that marriage isn't the only way to live at the same place? You couldn't ask to be roommates? Wouldn't that be better that to get stuck with his name?"

Well, it looks like your dear suitor here isn't very keen on you taking on my name~ He was very amused by the protest they both had expected.

And on the note of my creator, honestly all we need to do is mention we have Divine Luck and he should be all for it, or at least pardon the killing attempt by my request, he wouldn't shut up about rambling about that near me, it's a risk that he may start wanting to stay close to us at all times... Just a fair warning. He had to be there and listen to a lot of Kado's rambles during development after all.

Continuing with @y0u-f4il3d-m3 from here

After a few minutes, Sora had reached the park. Finding Nikei waiting there she nodded a thank you to him for the latte and took a sip.

It was still pleasantly hot but it no longer hurt to drink.

Syobai didn’t keep the three of them waiting that long. He parked his motorcycle, shutting it off as he twirled his keys over in his fingers before shoving them in his leather jacket pocket.

He eyed the journalist and Sora herself before folding his arms. “Right, I take it you have a job then? I already told the digital menace I wasn’t interested in working with him again.”

Sora huffed, “I know- I was there. What I’m going to ask does involve him but it’s not for his benefit. Not really.”

She weighed her thoughts over briefly before continuing. “We took his creators house, and in order to keep living there we need some legal documents made up. Namely; Marriage certificates, adding our new name to the deed on the house and a will for his creator if he doesn’t have one.”

Syobai listened for a moment, squinting at the mention of marriage certificates before shaking his head. “You thought this out. It would work, if his creator wasn’t alive.”

Sora froze, Mikado felt a nudge for his attention. Didn’t you say he was dead? Syobai killed him right? You had him do it- so what is he talking about?!

While Syobai wasn’t exactly a mind reader, Sora’s confusion was present enough that he spilled the information anyway. “He’s been in the hospital since we launched Neo World. Originally in critical condition but he’s due for release soon. Especially since the foundation is wiped out now. They have no reason to hold him.”

Sora knit her brows together, prodding Mikado again. I think we can still get the marriage certificates and the deed adjusted. We wouldn’t have to worry about a will. It wouldn’t be smart to finish him off either if we’re making these changes now. Should we…maybe go and see him after we make the changes. Pose as his Wife and take him home…?

[ao3feed-tolkien]

A Vision and Fire

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/kiH2anr

by Dalliansss

Maedhros was quietly awestruck at remembering how it was to feel hungry. He took his first spoonful, warmth coursing down his throat, into his gut. Suffused all the way to his fingertips.

The chicken noodle soup was delicious. He had not tasted anything more divine than this. Stupidly, he wept, spoon still stuck in his mouth.

He was alive. Caranthir and Finrod were with him. He was eating the most delicious chicken noodle soup in the world.

(Tags, relationships may be updated as necessary)

Words: 3237, Chapters: 1/4, Language: English

Series: Part 3 of A Fistfight with Fire

Fandoms: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Other

Characters: Maedhros | Maitimo, Caranthir | Morifinwë, Finrod Felagund | Findaráto, Manwë Súlimo, Morgoth Bauglir | Melkor, Maglor | Makalaurë

Relationships: Caranthir | Morifinwë & Maedhros | Maitimo, Finrod Felagund | Findaráto & Maedhros | Maitimo, Maedhros | Maitimo & Morgoth Bauglir | Melkor, Caranthir | Morifinwë & Finrod Felegund | Findaráto, Caranthir & Finrod & Maedhros

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Halls of Mandos, Reincarnation, Rebirth, people change, Family Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Humor, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Complicated Relationships, Morally Ambiguous Melkor, Sometimes Time In Mandos Doesn't Fix You, People From Mandos Are Never Quite The Same, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/kiH2anr

[hd-hurtcomfort-fest]

***WEEK ONE WRAPPED***

🎭 Presenting our Saturday weekly wrap of brilliant creations! 🎭

FYI: No postings on Sunday. Use the free day to catch up Please be sure to shower our creators with love and positiviity...and as always, mind the tags. See you back here on Monday!

*** Hyacinth Angst || M || 7k

My Kingdom For Your Laugh Fluff || G || 9.7k

*** Final Exams at the Curse-Breaker's Academy Fluff & Hurt/Comfort || M || 20.2k

Of Towers and Tales [ART] Hurt/Comfort || T || Art

*** The Roommate by Romaine [PODFIC] Fluff || M || 4hours

a small room under the earth Angst || M || 2.3k

*** Come Hell or High Water Hurt/Comfort || M || 22.1k

Divine Intervention Fluff || T || 6.5k

*** Harry Potter and the Unintended Horcrux Hurt/Comfort || E || 59k

*banner art by @basiatlu

[twinvictim]

heyyy chapter 4 is here read it and cry so hard [HEED TWS] all that under the cut

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Outlast (Video Games) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Blake Langermann/Miles Upshur, Blake Langermann & Lynn Langermann Characters: Blake Langermann, Lynn Langermann, Miles Upshur, Waylon Park, Lisa Park, Jessica Gray, Mentioned alot, Father Loutermilch-mentioned, Richard Trager, kinda lmfao - Character Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, No Murkoff, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Self-Harm, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Internalized Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Trans Male Character, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, religious trauma, outlast typical subject matter i suppose, Explicit Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, i kinda do whatever i want with miles and you are not allowed to complain thank you, implied/referenced pedophillia, via loutermiltch being the worst mostly in dreams etc Summary:

[My Dad's never cursed in his life, I asked if he smoked he said, "twice"//Well by that standard I'm a God damn failure, I passed blunts the day I married my wife//But I'm a child of God, just in case you forgot, And you cast me out every single chance that you got, And that's your loss not mine, I'll be better than fine, You just missed your shot to meet the unholy divine//Oh what I'd give for just an inch of your peace, 'Cause I wanna fall but I've got bruises on my knees, Oh what I'd give for just an inch of your peace, 'Cause I wanna fall, I wanna be someone that you'd call]

Blake and Lynn, unable to salvage their marriage separate on unsteady terms. Still coping with the past, and feeling lost without her, he moves in with Miles Upshur, an unassuming journalist recently hired to their same company, and begins the long road to acceptance of his pain and understanding of himself. Unbeknownst to him, his new roommate is in a similar boat.

[dhr-ao3]

Manifesting Draco Malfoy

Manifesting Draco Malfoy https://ift.tt/TVruaKz by LunaP999, Wanderingfair “You don’t believe in Divination.” “No, not Divination. Manifestation. That’s all this is. I am manifesting.” “Draco’s dick.” “Ha, ha. You’re so funny.” “At least someone thinks I am.” Pansy came and stood behind her. When she was lucky, her roommate would impart small gestures of affection. Today, for instance, she’d lowered herself to wrap one arm around Hermione’s clavicle, squeezing her shoulders. “For the record, I think you’re very fuckable.” Hermione looked up. “You do?” “Undeniably shaggable.” “Thank you.” “So you should proceed to manifest Draco’s dick.” She smiled, “Does that require two witches?” “I feel prepared to handle it.” She squeezed back, before releasing Pansy’s arm. OR The one where Hermione tries her hand at manifestation and gets more than she bargained for when a confused, amnestic Draco comes barreling into her flat. Words: 6527, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Harry Potter Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: POV Hermione Granger, Auror Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Healer Hermione Granger, Fluff and Smut, Porn with Feelings, Where We're Going We Don't Need Plot, this author will attempt to incude historical dates for you to ignore, Temporary Amnesia, Mutual Pining, Explicit Sexual Content, Dirty Talk, Dry Humping, thigh riding, Vaginal Sex, Praise Kink, Soft Dom Draco Malfoy, Happy Ending, Shameless Smut, Pining Draco Malfoy, Pining Hermione Granger, Draco and Crooks bffs, Hermione and Pansy are friendship goals via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/FBNdo4A February 16, 2024 at 07:07AM

[ravencyclebigbang]

Raven Cycle Big Bang 2020 Masterlist

The 2020 Raven Cycle/Call Down The Hawk Big Bang has come to a close! 

Twenty-six teams (and some…) created a ton of great fanfic and fanart over the course of the event. When we started this event we couldn’t have known what 2020 would end up being, so our appreciation goes to all participants for being so resilient and marvellous and sticking with us until the very end.

A Big Bang is traditionally a fandom event that produces 10k+ words fan fictions and associated art, all fully complete. That’s all the reading and looking your art might desire!!!

Please make sure to show your love to all creators by commenting, kudosing and sending loving pigeons!  And stay tuned, because we might have a little Post-Bang Giveaway ready for you…

We have an Ao3 collection in case you want to filter by tags and ratings and the like. Below the cut is a full master list of the various contributions to the TRC Big Bang, so they can be browsed with ease.

Team #1: that perilous stuff (which weighs upon the heart)

Fanfic: AO3 Art: Tumblr

Writer: @saywhatjessie (tumblr)/JessJesstheBest (AO3)

Artist: @pygmypouter (tumblr)

Beta: @rroguess (tumblr)

Synopsis: “Uh, Mr. Parrish? You’d like to read for Lady Macbeth?” Adam felt his eye twitch, even while he nodded. It was true that even at an all boy’s school where boys would have had to read the female parts, Adam probably wouldn’t have normally volunteered to read Lady Macbeth. But Ronan had called him a nerd. So he was prepared to be the biggest nerd Ronan had seen. “I know what I’m about, ma’am.” Or Ronan and Adam volunteer to read for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in class. Shenanigans ensue.

Team #2: Uncanny Omens

Fanfic: AO3 | gthechangeling Art: Tumblr | drawfulneutral Art: Tumblr

Writer: @yesterdarling (tumblr)/YesterDarling (AO3)

Artist: @gthechangeling (tumblr)

Artist: @drawfulneutral (tumblr)

Beta: ghostangel (AO3)

Synopsis: The Forces of Heaven and Hell have always assumed that the world would end. More specifically, they always assumed the world would precisely end on a Saturday evening, just a few days after the Antichrist’s birthday. The Armies are forming, the Four Horsemen have been drawn out, and the Antichrist is coming into his full power. Yet not everyone longs for Armageddon. Adam and Ronan - an Angel and Demon living in rural Virginia - most certainly don’t want it to; not when Earth has so many libations that they’ve come to enjoy. Besides, Armageddon without humans having a say in the matter wouldn’t be fair, would it? With their livelihoods and the lives of Mankind on the line, they plot to throw a wrench in the Divine Plan. It’d go far easier if anyone knew where the Antichrist was, though.

Team #3: We seek someone to sew sutures in the places where we’re torn

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @blueseyforthesoul (tumblr)/kirani (AO3)

Artist: @thecorvidrotation (tumblr)

Synopsis: Gansey isn’t the half of his soulmate pair with a name, and Blue hasn’t said anything so he doesn’t think she has his name either. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a huge crush on the cute bassist of his roommate’s band. Shenanigans ensue.

Team #4: You Better Shape Up

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: stop_whining (AO3)

Artist: @attentionhoard (tumblr)

Synopsis: A Pynch fic inspired by the classic 1978 movie/musical Grease for TRC Big Bang 2020.

Team #6: Pranks and Pups!

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Instagram

Writer: @comfy-spot (tumblr)/RandyKorn (AO3)

Artist: manao.ri (instagram)

Synopsis: The end of winter break rolls around, and Ronan finds himself stuck in a depressive episode despite the miracle of having his friends all together once again. Blue and Henry bully him into a Platonic Date Night Extraordinaire (which isn’t so platonic on Henry’s part). There’s gelato, misdemeanors, dog piles, a duck, dance parties, and even a car chase - everything necessary to force one Ronan Lynch into admitting that he’s just as deserving of love and care as the rest of them.

Team #7: In gardens all wet with rain

Fanfic: AO3 | forestgeitart Art: Tumblr | purrsnicket Art: Tumblr

Writer: @magicienetreveur (tumblr)/hollyanneg (AO3)

Artist: @forestgeitart (tumblr)

Artist: @purrsnicket (tumblr)

Beta: @semicolonsandsimiles (tumblr)

Synopsis: In a land where magic is real, Ronan spends most of his time hiding from it in the palace gardens, where he’d once met a boy who could tell the future. There’s love letters, a masquerade ball, and an evil plot to be foiled.

Team #8: The Waiting Game

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @inoctavo (tumblr)/inoctavo (AO3)

Artist: @lenaisanerd (tumblr)

Beta: @emjenenla (tumblr)

Synopsis: When all they can do is wait, Declan’s mind catastrophizes… then tries to plan for them. It’s a good recipe to make more problems when everyone’s gone around the emotional ringer. Featuring existential crises, denial, tough decisions, Declan meeting Opal for the first time, and Jordan painting Declan like one of her French girls.

Team #9: if love is just a game (then how come it’s no fun)

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @toast-the-unknowing (tumblr)/shinealightonme (AO3)

Artist: @rroguess (tumblr)

Synopsis: Ronan probably shouldn’t have sworn at the stranger he runs into leaving Gansey’s favorite hipster coffee shop. Blue probably shouldn’t have tracked down Adam’s soulmate without his permission. But they did, and now all four of their lives are tangled up together, whether they like it or not.

Team #10: Strange as Angels

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @skyermirth (tumblr)/skyermirth (AO3)

Artist: @squash1-squash2 (tumblr)

Beta: @galwaygremlin (tumblr)

Synopsis: Adam takes a job for the summer as Caretaker of the Barns, which local legend says is haunted. Adam soon finds out this is true when he meets the resident “ghost,” who isn’t very scary with his mohawk and grouchy demeanor but romantic heart. Falling in love with a ghost was not what Adam had planned for his summer. (Loosely based on the 1947 movie “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”.)

Team #11: Dream Killer

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @attentionhoard (tumblr)/mvsic_bxxks_stvdy (AO3)

Artist: @sinplaytheartist (tumblr)

Synopsis: Ronan Lynch is a man with extraordinary talents. If he can bring a living, breathing bird from a dream, what’s stopping him from bringing his best friend back from the grave? But some challenges are too great for one dreamer alone.

Team #12: Bread & Circuses

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Instagram

Writer: @galwaygremlin (tumblr)/okay_pretender (AO3)

Artist: crystaline_art (instagram)

Beta: @inoctavo (tumblr)

Team #14: Ag iarraidh forais i bhfodhomhain

Fanfic: AO3 | forestgeit Art: Tumblr | homunculiii Art: Tumblr

Writer: @semicolonsandsimiles (tumblr)/semicolonsandsimiles (AO3)

Artist: @forestgeitart (tumblr)

Artist: @homunculiii (tumblr)

Beta: @g-reywaren (tumblr)/applepi314 (AO3)

Synopsis: Adam is more surprised that he came to Ireland at all than he is to find a doorway to the Otherworld. When Persephone gives you cryptic predictions about your future, you’re almost certainly about to stumble into some magic. And for all his exterior bluster, Ronan seems almost relieved to have someone to visit Tír na nÓg with. But things turn complicated quickly when, during what was supposed to be a quick trip through the doorway, they encounter Ronan’s little brother - who is definitely human and definitely in New York. When Adam ends up back in Ireland long term, he finds himself increasingly entangled in the magic of the Lynch bookshop, the Lynch family lore, and one Lynch in particular.

Team #15: See You Later Alligator

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Instagram

Writer: @crostiina (tumblr)/crostiina (AO3)

Artist: fricklefracklefloof (instagram)

Beta: @creativefiend19 (tumblr)

Synopsis: “Adam.” he read out loud, because he didn’t know what else to do, because he was bad at conversation yet he definitely felt the need to say something.

He thought Adam was going to be even more annoyed and tell him off for being there and close and talking to him. He didn’t know why he did, maybe it was just that night messing with him, maybe it was just him never feeling right anywhere he went. Adam just shrugged.

“Told you I wasn’t Janine.”

Graduation year, Ronan Lynch is wasting his time with horrible friends and too many vices. Things change when he meets Adam Parrish, local (apparently) sane person and ambitious soul working the graveyard shift at a gas station’s market as he waits for acceptance letters to come. Somehow, they both happen to become the best part of the other person’s day.

Team #17: weekends are for the dogs

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @royai (tumblr)/rizahawkaye (AO3)

Artist: @cheeriosnuggles (tumblr)

Synopsis: Ronan Lynch - fresh off the loss of his father, the truth of his Dreams - has so much to learn about himself, about Dreamers, about Niall, and about the black-coated wolf that tears its way through Henrietta.

Team #18: primavera

Fanfic: AO3 | Tumblr: Art

Writer: @manonblaccbeak (tumblr)/Imnotweirdjustwriting (AO3)

Artist: @gthechangeling (tumblr)

Beta: @pnrrish (tumblr)

Synopsis: the rebirth of Adam through art

OR: a renaissance AU featuring the gangsey

Team #19: trouble is (i don’t wanna let go)

Fanfic: AO3 | gouachemole Art: Tumblr | ladvy Art: Tumblr

Writer: @adverbialstarlight (tumblr)/adverbialstarlight (AO3)

Artist: @gouachemole (tumblr)

Artist: @ladvy (tumblr)

Beta: @violettfemme (tumblr)

Synopsis: It’s been two years since Henrietta’s infamous supervillain, Apothecary, disappeared from the streets and left the beloved hero Greywaren alone without his nemesis – and former secret lover. But now he’s back and determined, this time to team up and save the city from an even larger threat.

aka a pynch superhero au

Team #21: Love in the Time of Socialism

Fanfic: AO3 | Art 1: Tumblr | Art 2: Tumblr

Writer: @oldkingyounggod (tumblr)/aurumdalseni (AO3)

Artist: @effwit (tumblr)

Beta: @crostiina (tumblr)

Synopsis: This is a story about a magician with a terrible history. The death of Adam Parrish’s father after he leaves for college means a chance at closure with that part of his life, but he’s not on the journey alone. At his side is a king, whose loyalty never faltered, no matter how much the world threw at them, or how many times they couldn’t agree on how to live their lives. This is also the story of a dreamer, who loved his best friends so much that he didn’t dare risk losing them by asking for something they couldn’t give. So kisses that could have been became kisses that never were, and Ronan Lynch tells himself he’ll make his home a place they can return to. They’ll all come together again for Adam, even fierce little Blue Sargent, so he doesn’t have to face his past alone. And while he works at closing those doors, he’ll make his way into places where all the love Adam, Ronan and Gansey have built up over the years will finally have the space to bloom.

Team #22: we will raze this earth together

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @teddylupin (tumblr)/perfect-porcelain (AO3)

Artist: @kojotei (tumblr)

Synopsis: Ronan is the heir to the Cabeswater throne, a mythical place that was thought to be lost to time. He is the only one of the late King Niall’s son to inherit the royal ability to shift into a dragon. He doesn’t want the throne. In his attempt to escape, he is captured and brought to the kingdom of Henrietta where the court magician, Adam is tasked with attempting to communicate with him, only Adam doesn’t know he has a human form. All Adam sees is the beautiful monstrosity that is Ronan.

Team #24: Heavy lies the head

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @tinyarmedtrex (tumblr)/tinyarmedtrex (AO3)

Artist: @non-platonic-murphamy (tumblr)

Beta: @waywardsoul-s (tumblr)

Synopsis: Adam can’t stand the court magician, Ronan, but when his King sends the two of them on a quest Adam has no choice but to learn to work with the other man.

Team #25: A voice inside me sang your name

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @maskingfragility (tumblr)/Fata_Morgana (AO3)

Artist: @pank0 (tumblr)

Beta: @campbraceyourself (tumblr)

Synopsis: Adam Parrish has recently gotten engaged, he works for a prestigious law firm in DC and he is about to be made partner. His life is millions miles away from the trailer park in Henrietta, he has accomplished all he has ever wanted, so when the call of an ancient, magical forest starts resonating inside him he is faced not just with his past, but with the possibility that his present is not what he really wants.

Team #27: Life is a Fucking Nightmare

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @sterlynwrites (tumblr)/sterlynsilverrose (AO3)

Artist: @sinplaytheartist (tumblr)

Synopsis: We’ve All Read “Dream Thieves” at this point.

All the reader sees is the end of the nightmare of Joseph Kavinsky. But, what we don’t really see is exactly what leads up to that. This is an unapologetic look at Joseph Kavinsky and his daily life. It gives weight to the words:

“Life is a fucking nightmare.”

Team #31: The Creation of Adam

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @pynches (tumblr)/clawsnbeak (AO3)

Artist: @purrsnicket (tumblr)

Beta: glam_reaper2 (AO3)

Synopsis: When Ronan Lynch enrolled in art school just to mess with his brother, he never thought he would actually be good at it. Now, with only a few months left before he is supposed to graduate, he has to turn in one of the biggest art pieces yet. Enter Adam Parrish, a poor student who wouldn’t say no to some extra money. When he saw an advertisement on Craigslist looking for a model to help with an art project, he didn’t hesitate to react. Working together seemed easy enough but there might be more between them than they bargained for.

Team #34: The Royal Treatment

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @oldguybones (tumblr/Oldguybones (AO3)

Artist: @the-ronan-cycle (tumblr)

Synopsis: When Adam Parrish turned eighteen, he became the rightful heir to rule his home country of Henrietta. For years, he looked forward to taking over the nightmarish reign of his father and make the changes he wanted to see. But there was a huge problem. To officially hold the title, he first must wed and his foul mouthed, farm hand boyfriend, Ronan Lynch, knew nothing about royalty. Adam knew though, that there was no one better to rule by his side. So he must teach Ronan how to behave in the face of royalty without changing what he loved so dearly about him.

With time running out, will he be able to do that in time to gain the current King’s approval?

Team #38: and could you carry me through no man’s land

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @mletart (tumblr)/mletart (AO3)

Artist: @wy-mackk (tumblr)

Beta: @stadamparrish (tumblr)

Synopsis: For The Raven Cycle 2020 Big Bang

In which Ronan Lynch gets himself into trouble with the High Council and Adam Parrish ends up taking Ronan on as his familiar. Adam learns the secrets of the Lynch family, and they both learn about magic and about each other. It goes a lot better than either of them would have expected at the start.

Team #39: Weirdos’ Voices

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr

Writer: @flyde (tumblr)/parttimehuman (AO3)

Artist: @shamanda-lie (tumblr)

Synopsis: Without ever having seen the guy, Ronan is crushing hard on one of the construction workers renovating his building. Sitting against the door to his apartment, listening to the beautiful voice and oddly entertaining ramblings of a certain Ganseyboy, Ronan wonders what it would be like if they ever met. It happens when he least expects it…

Team #40: the first problem was putting us in charge of a kingdom

Fanfic: AO3 | Art: Tumblr 

Writer: @bipolarronanlynchevangelist (tumblr)/elliptical (AO3)

Artist: @turqidoodles (tumblr)/Turq_I (AO3)

Synopsis: Ronan Lynch loses control of his magic, which is the catalyst for a lot of shit, because he’s the first proven user of chaos magic in… basically ever. Gansey’s trying to be a good king despite his fears that there may be no such thing. Adam Parrish works beside him, earning his terrifying reputation through psychic study and occasional gray morality. Blue Sargent can’t leave her home or she’ll sicken and die, and her wanderlust is driving her to seek less-than-sensible solutions. Noah Czerny knows a lot about healing, but he’s not omnipotent, and he’s a little tired of being asked to clean up everyone else’s messes. Declan Lynch doesn’t trust the crown. He especially doesn’t trust the crown with his little brother. Mysteriously, all of this leads to rather a lot of conflict.

[thekidultlife]

The Most Convenient Escape | Jihoon Soulmate!AU (6)

⍟ Pairing: Jihoon x fem!reader

⍟ AU: Fantasy/ Soulmate AU

⍟ Genre: ANGST, SLOW BURN, fluff

⍟ Warnings: mentions of abuse, drinking, and sex

⍟ Word Count: 6.7k

⍟ Synopsis: For all your life, you have a deep disdain towards Soulmate Bonds, so much so that you are able to write opinions about it in a local newspaper. However, as life would have it, you wake up one day bonded to a person you hardly knew. Throwing in an investigation, annoying roommates, and a revolution looming just beneath the surface, you had to seek for the most convenient escape.

⍟ A/N: It’s been a while since I updated TMCE skskks sorry;;; i missed my drawing tablet so much, I just drew this whole time lmaooo but here you go~ something like a transition chapter!! hope you enjoy? :DD

⍟ Taglist: To those who commented on the previous chapter ;;w;; thank you so much!!! @minkwans, @ialamityo-o, @oprandomfeels, @haotheheckk, and @svt13roses!!! I always say this, but your comments and reactions really keep me going on;;;

CHAP 1 | CHAP 2 | CHAP 3 | CHAP 4 | CHAP 5 | CHAP 6 |

HALF A MILLION MURMURS by Alex Fireflower

The Porta Persa Edition, November 2nd

 To those divinely ordained by the people and the coin with Power and Authority:

            Surely, in some way or another, it had not escaped any person of good conscience and fair moral character the plight which has befallen our fellow men—the Cilvekans—despite differences in and not limited to nationality and/or race; more so and I surely hope so, that it had not escaped the attentions of persons with great abundance in wealth and power such as yourselves.

            Surely, in some way or another, you are not deaf to their pleas—gagged and maimed by a bill, now law, which was carefully crafted to entrap more than half a million people for whatever reason the Parliament has in its defense. These people who had a hand in making our trades grow, making our lives a little bit easier, making this nation prosper to its opulent glory of today—how easy, how convenient it is to leave them to the dust, to fend off on their own all the evils of Porta Persa. Certainly, it had touched your benevolent hearts that the very same people who sweep your marble floors, who wash your dirty ball gowns, who polish your diamond rings, are in need of your help—the very same people who had helped you in your daily lives. Yet even if they had not become a part of your lives in some way or another, surely, maybe, that the fact that Cilvekans are fellow human beings who move and act just like us would convince you that what had been brought unto them was a violation of their rights as human beings, rights which are rightfully bestowed to everyone on this Earth—Cilvekan, Porta Persan or whatnot.

Surely, in some way or another, you have come to an understanding that the creators of this bill had intentions way beyond the national security of this nation. Surely, it is indisputable, with all the abuse of power and discriminate arrests which happened in the course of a few days, that there is no way Porta Persa would attain national security in this manner; but rather, had only caused chaos and anger among the population. How can one, who had held himself with high regard in the face of god and the heavens, be so blissfully ignorant to these people who had been abused and indiscriminately arrested in the middle of the night for various reasons the Royal Guard had come up with as they spin their wee little roulette of crimes and violations? How can we, as human beings, rationalize our inaction and ignorance of this issue with a mentality that “if this does not happen to us in front of our very eyes, therefore, it does not exist”? Of course there is no reason for it to happen on your graciously manicured courtyard because the gold coin had given you the privilege to grab the laws of this land by the neck and turn it to your favor.

Surely, surely, and I do hope so that beyond the loud voices in your head screaming at you that there is no need to help, that the problem is simply perceived by the victims, that this issue does not affect you in any way possible—I hope that you are able to hear the half million murmurs of Cilvekan voices stranded in our ports and stations, banished from their jobs and separated from their families. I hope that you are all able to hear whispers calling out to the warm compassion that is hopefully still inside of your hearts.

As more than half a million Cilvekans congest our ports and stations—sent back to an ironically unfamiliar country with almost no possessions;  inside our jails and police stations, tortured to admit a sin they had never committed—let us not ignore their cries of help. Whether or not they had aided us in our lives before, they are still human beings just like us, who need the same rights as we do. Let’s listen to the murmurs of half a million…

◇

“Your girlfriend sure is livid.”

Yoon Jeonghan, in his platinum blond hair and rather sleepy eyes, said as he tossed the newspaper on the marble garden table. The Minister for the Culture and the Arts was finally present in the meeting, though still in Joshua Hong’s grey pavilion in the middle of his rose garden and still drinking freshly brewed coffee.

“She’s not my girlfriend, and I am very much assured that she is unaware of our soulmate bond,” Jihoon groaned as he massaged his temples, the hangover gradually diminishing with the help of a hangover potion you had forced him to bring along. “How many times do I have to reiterate this?”

“Someone sure is a rainy cloud today, what do you reckon, Minister of Foreign Affairs?” Jeonghan remarked as he received a cup of coffee from Joshua, who had only laughed at his friend’s comment.

“It’s your fault for not coming by lately. You missed out a lot.”

“Did I?” The other smirked, and then looked around, “Oh? It seems our adorable general isn’t here yet?”

“Seungcheol told me he wouldn’t be joining us today,” Joshua informed him primly as he finally sat on his own seat with a cup on his hands. “And for reasons you all already know, unfortunately.”

“What about you though? Aren’t you having a terribly marvelous time trying to deport all these people?” Jihoon asked, his eyes cold and a tad bit exhausted.

“That’s the immigration’s responsibility, not ours. Though drafting an explanation to the Cilvekan government as to why there are half a million people to be deported back to their country isn’t a walk in the park either.”

Jihoon grunted, to which Jeonghan only smiled.

“I’m having trouble with this as well. Several valuable artists living in Porta Persa are in danger of being deported which isn’t in any way favorable in my position. I wouldn’t want to lose Wen Junhui and Xu Minghao in the middle of their own respective careers,” Jeonghan added in a playful tone despite the severity of his situation.

“And just when I was finally able to acquire some tickets to Wen Junhui’s play!” Joshua remarked with a slight scowl, annoyed that his tickets would probably become mere pieces of worthless colored paper.

“Tough luck for all of us, huh?” Jihoon remarked as he pressed down the bridge of his nose, the smell of the decaying rose petals around him was making him nauseous.

As the wind blew across the wide rose garden, a companionable silence enveloped the three of them. While they seemed to be so lighthearted, they all knew the situation was a lot worse than they had feared.

“Is there any way we could reverse this decision?” Jeonghan finally asked.

“If there was, I would’ve done it already. Not to mention how much political power I’ve lost because of this,” Jihoon replied, thumbing on the cork of the potion he was holding. "If not for the laws of this land, I would've wrung Kang's neck by now."

“Seems like your plans on running for Prime Minister is thrown out of the window,” Jeonghan continued to which Jihoon only gave him a cynical look.

“I would continue if I was crazy enough,” he answered with a snort. “Look, there’s really not much I could do as of the moment. The Conservatives are probably holding the biggest victory party of their lives at the seaports, herding off Cilvekans inside cargo ships like cattle, and it’s so frustrating how I could only watch them do what they want.”

“What about going to your grandfather then?” Joshua suggested and Jihoon stilled for a moment before aggressively shaking his head.

“No, no, no. Absolutely not,” he replied with a hint of panic in his eyes. “Not in a million years.”

“Why not?” Jeonghan asked. “He’s still a powerful man after retiring as Prime Minister years ago. Who knows, maybe he has some useful connections.”

“You guys already know why not,” Jihoon responded with a snarl. “There is certainly no way I would return to Santaragossa considering the state of my soulmate bond.”

“Ah, that,” the two men eventually nodded in understanding as they remembered why Jihoon was hesitant to go.

“But maybe this is the right time to tell Y/N that your soulmates,” Joshua was the first one who remarked. “You could bring her along and tell her the truth.”

To that comment, Jihoon only gave an incredulous look. “Please don’t give me any more of these suicidal suggestions, Joshua. You already know that’s not going to work.”

“But you could at least try?” Jeonghan offered. “I mean, Porta Persa is only an inch short of imploding, and we could be headless in a month's time if this escalates rapidly, so what does a lover's quarrel mean in the face of a civil war?”

As soon as he had heard Jeonghan’s words, the dark haired male simply sighed and leaned against the chair he was sitting on. He just can’t believe he was considering this. Returning to Santaragossa could be another mess he wished he had never signed up for, much like the current situation with the Cilvekans. But he knew that if he really wanted to act on the benefit of the greater good, a worthy sacrifice is already a given. What even is a falling out with his soulmate to a half a million people who are more or less starving and afraid?

Jihoon sighed again. Things are spiraling out of control.

“I’ll think about it.”

◇

A few weeks later. November 25th

“Oh god, I almost strangled the bastard if you guys weren’t there!”

It was already late in the morning when the three of you entered Wonwoo’s dorm room in a weirdly tense mood; a mood that was emphasized by the fact that the political atmosphere in Porta Persa was rigidly discordant all throughout the past few weeks. As active journalists, it had of course affected you three.

“I might have bitten his head off twice too,” you were fuming as much as Soonyoung was, tossing your heavy leather bag on the bed which you sat on as well with an exhausted huff.

The only calming force in the room was Jeon Wonwoo, who simply sighed and dropped most of his things on a wooden desk carpeted with heavy tomes of Magical Law. Yet despite is fair countenance, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t exasperated by everything that was happening.

Today, the three of you were scheduled to interview a staunch advocate of the recently passed travel restrictions and border control measures, and to say the least, it did go well, yet at the expense of everyone’s tempers.

“Just—how can someone be so ignorant of this situation?!” you exclaimed as you let yourself fall on the bed, your arms held high in the air. “I-I mean, the ports where Cilvekans had been crowding for days now is just a five-minute walk from his stupidly large mansion! Can’t they see anything?!”

“Not only that! Not only that, goddamn it!” Soonyoung added, furiously pacing around the room. “He even has the gall to question why Y/N was there! Y/N! One of Porta Persa’s best editors! What kind of question is that? Are girls not allowed to do anything anymore? I just wanted to punch that guy’s beer belly!”

“That was really insulting,” you remarked, your voice much quieter now.

Soonyoung groaned-screamed, pushing Wonwoo’s wooden chair before stalking towards the wall and punching it hard. The wall was of course rock solid but Soonyoung’s knuckles were now red and in pain, yet it didn’t really matter. If he hasn’t done anything, chances are he might explode in his place then and there.

Wonwoo only watched, leaning against his desk, as the two of you blew off steam by ranting and just being generally loud, yet in his mind, wheels were turning.

“You know what else is concerning?” Wonwoo spoke, his voice as soft as a mutter yet it was enough to get the attention of everyone. “It’s not only the wealthy who are fine with this as what we might’ve expected, but also some of the upper and lower middle class people.”

You and Soonyoung immediately exchange glances, their eyes glinting with curiosity. So Wonwoo continued on.

“I’ve checked all the interviews we conducted since last week and though they differ in motives, they generally have no problem with this law. The rich are basically ignorant and indifferent. To them, this law is just like all the other laws of Porta Persa. For the middle class citizens however, they saw Cilvekans as an adversary—someone who would steal their jobs and opportunities.”

“Like, ‘why are these people getting rich while I, a true blooded Porta Persan is struggling to get a job?’” you asked, to which Wonwoo nodded.

“So a ‘good riddance’ thing, huh?” Soonyoung bobbed his head up and down in realization, his anger already half abated.

“Precisely. This is why this whole situation is largely divisive. There are people who care about it, but there are also a lot of people who are more than happy that this happened,” the bespectacled boy replied, adjusting his glasses.

“Ain’t that depressing,” Soonyoung grumbled, finally plopping on the plush armchair by the fireplace. “Has anybody started a petition yet?”

“Lee Jihoon already beat you to the chase,” you commented casually. “He’s been busy gathering signatures from prominent people to junk the law, but so far I think he hasn’t really filled his quota yet, right Wonwoo?”

“Yes, I reckon he needs even more powerful people, like someone closely connected to the monarchy or someone with a really huge reputation,” Wonwoo replied, folding his arms over his chest.

“Who else is even more powerful than Lee Jihoon? Even he can’t stop that bill from becoming law,” Soonyoung inserted, now much more cynical because of all the frustration that had built up.

You only shrugged. “We don’t know. At any case, we must continue this responsibility we imposed upon ourselves. Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”

“Indeed,” Wonwoo replied before straightening himself up. “In that case, I suppose it’s time we inspect those documents we found a few weeks ago.”

“Oh, yeah! I almost forgot about them!” Soonyoung remarked, turning as he watched Wonwoo walk pass him and to a hidden safe behind the bookcase where he kept it secure. “We were so preoccupied with all the interviews that we didn’t have time to look at them.”

“I do hope we get something out of those,” you said, standing up from your place on the bed and walked to the round wooden table where Wonwoo had placed the documents.

Gathering round and seated comfortably, the three of you began to carefully examine the documents like an efficient production line.

Wonwoo was assigned to the actual semantics of the documents, inspecting everything word per word and whether or not they mean something else other than what was thought at first glance. Soonyoung on the other hand was in charge of looking into those which contained shipping and trading information—he may not be the brightest of you three but he has trading experience all throughout his life which was more than what you and Wonwoo could do. Finally, you had the task of doing the final inspection, to see if the Soonyoung and Wonwoo had missed anything.

Yet despite all these efforts, even after five hours of perusing the said documents, in the end they all turned out to be rather boring pieces of yellowed paper.

“And here I thought we were going to find something phenomenal…”

Soonyoung was pouting, now more than exhausted as he slumped sulkily on his chair. You and Wonwoo were no different, as you sat silently on your places around the table with long faces.

“I guess we effectively wasted most of our afternoon,” you remarked, standing up to stretch your stiff muscles.

“I couldn’t agree enough,” Wonwoo snorted, “That novelty shop was phony from the beginning.”

“Well, what’s done is done,” Soonyoung exclaimed, also standing up to walk around the room. “And oh, speaking of that shop, the fortune teller asked us to give something to you, Y/N. Wait here for a moment while I run to my room!”

Without waiting for you to reply, Soonyoung already dashed out of the door and to the hallway, leaving both you and Wonwoo to exchange curious glances.

“You know something about that?” You asked him.

Your friend shrugged, “You left so suddenly that day and then everything was so hectic right after that we forgot to tell you about it.”

Understanding the situation, you simply sighed and waited for Soonyoung to return, which wasn’t that long since he was already back before you could even form any thoughts on what Madam Adora had left for you.

“I’m back!” he exclaimed, on his hands a small black box that seemed to resemble a box for a ring. “Here you go, Y/N!”

With that said, Soonyoung placed it on top of the table which you walked towards to see what it was inside. You turned it over and heard a small dull thud, giving the impression that there was a small object inside.

“Did you peek?” You asked him, seating back on your chair and taking a closer inspection at the object.

“What? Of course not!” He denied, which you deemed was true, considering that the seal on the opening was still intact. You smirked at him, revealing the fact that you were only kidding around.

“Well, let’s see what this is.”

Breaking the seal, you opened the box while the two onlookers peered curiously behind you. The climactic tension in the air rose dramatically as the three of you became increasingly intrigued by the contents of the box.

“It’s…” Soonyoung narrated, his eyes glistening at first but then faltered after realizing what it was, “It’s just a coin.”

Inside the box, nestled on maroon red velvet was a mere gold coin—one which Porta Persa uses as currency—the Dossimer.

You held it up between your fingers, studying it as closely as you could with eyes filled with bewilderment. Eventually, you made a nod.

“Yes, it’s just dossimer.”

Wonwoo sighed. “This day seems to be filled with anticlimaxes.”

“I guess that’s life for you,” you replied, shrugging. “Though I’m not that sure why she would give this to me. It’s not like I lack money or anything.”

“I’m as bewildered as you,” Wonwoo remarked, again adjusting his slipping glasses.

Huffing, you placed the coin on the table harshly, cluttering loudly across Wonwoo’s room. “Fate sure is playing tricks with us, and I’m not liking it.”

“Yet what else can we do?” Soonyoung asked. “We’re at a stalemate now. The investigation is going nowhere, the Cilvekan situation is worsening, and we might be persecuted by the monarchy at any time.”

Wonwoo simply sighed. “Indeed, nothing seems to be moving right now, but we still have to do something, no matter how little they are. It will have a rippling effect all over Porta Persa.”

While the two were bickering, you had unintentionally blocked them out, focusing only on the gold coin on the table, atop the documents you had inspected, wondering over and over again why it was on your hands.

“Are you suggesting we run away then? Run to the mountains of god knows where—“

Wonwoo had raised his voice already, further proof that the argument was getting heated, yet despite that, you paid no heed. Instead, you continued to stare at the coin, still tossing and turning ideas in your head.

The more you gazed at it, the more you felt like you were beginning to imagine things. The coin was glowing with a golden light around it, and while magic isn’t something odd, the fact that the coin was shimmering was definitely out of the ordinary.

Blinking several times, you tried to shook the hallucinations away yet the glowing continued and had now spread over the papers underneath it. You were sure you hadn’t drunk anything weird that day, or maybe it was the fatigue—but fatigue doesn’t really make things glow in front of your very eyes.

Funnily enough, it took you a moment to realize that none of what you had thought of was the truth, and strangely enough, the coin was actually and most definitely glowing.

“Um…guys…” you muttered, pulling on their sleeves as they were already about to pounce on each other. “I’m not imagining that the coin is glowing, right?”

Your words immediately stopped the two of them from their tracks and immediately turn their attentions to the coin on the table. Astonished as you were, they only gazed at it in confusion.

“It’s really…glowing,” Soonyoung remarked, his hands about to touch it.

“Wait—! Don’t go near, Soonyoung,” Wonwoo warned as he fetched a fountain pen on his desk to poke the coin with.

“Isn’t that as dangerous as well?” you asked him, wanting him to reconsider his course of action.

“It’s fine, I’m not directly touching it.”

With a sigh of forfeit, you only watched as Wonwoo moved the coin with nothing much of a reaction other than the bright white glowing.

“It seems to be making the papers glow as well,” he observed, moving his body around it to see all sides.

“Not all the papers. Just that one,” you corrected him since you were seated next to it on the table and had a better viewpoint. “Could you guys get that?”

Without anyone prompting him, Soonyoung snatched the paper from the table and looked at it with a rather confused look on his face.

“What is it?” you asked, turning to him with an expectant look.

“Not to add on our several disappointments today but these are just some shipping routes. I checked this earlier, you checked it again after, and we found nothing. And oh, it stopped glowing.”

“Wait! Why don’t we place the coin over it and see if it glows again?” Wonwoo this time suggested, pocketing his fountain pen, and then continued speaking after seeing the look of hesitance on your expressions. “And the coin is clearly safe, other than the fact that it’s, you know…glowing.”

“You pick it up then,” you instructed as Sonyoung returned the map of the shipping routes on table and laid it there flat.

“Fine,” he conceded sulkily and took the coin from where it sat and placed it over the parchment.

Amazingly, the paper did start glowing again, making the map invisible and then forming scribbles of white glow on the paper. The three of you crowded in front of it, trying to assess what you had discovered.

Soonyoung sighed. “I still don’t know what it is.”

“I’m as clueless too,” you added before stepping away.

“That’s a geass.”

The both of you turned to Wonwoo who was still scrutinizing it with meticulousness.

“I hope you’d care to explain?” you asked, walking to the place beside him.

Wonwoo closed his eyes and adjusted his glasses.

“It’s actually pretty rare. But basically, a geass is an agreement. However, it’s a thousand times more powerful than your ordinary paper and ink contract. It binds parties through magic which makes it unbreakable. If anyone attempts to do so, they will be met by a horrific death.”

“That’s nasty,” Soonyoung remarked with a scrunch on the nose.

“Indeed it is. Which is why nobody really attempts to seal agreements using geasses anymore because it binds for life. You only reserve it for incredibly important things. You could consider the soulmate bond as a form of geass made between two people.”

“Two unconsenting people, you mean?” You added, making a terse glanced at Wonwoo.

“Yes, right. So in this case,” Wonwoo continued, picking up the paper but making sure the coin is still in contact with it. “What we have here is a geass made between the Gestalts and…one Gustav Lemaire.”

“Hey, isn’t that the same judge?” Soonyoung called out, his brows knitting with intrigue. “You know, the one who dismissed the tax evasion case of Luce Trading? His name really fits the corrupt judge image so it stuck with me.”

“That’s novel,” you remarked with playful snide. “But anyway, if it’s between the Gestalts and the judge, then is this some kind of settlement?”

“It kind of is,” Wonwoo replied, as he read the script with narrowed eyes. “It says here…”

“It says what?” you asked, impatient.

“Give me a moment. It’s written in archaic script and I haven’t really mastered it yet,” Wonwoo said, still hunched over the document. “So, it says here that in exchange for the dismissal of the case as well as increased support for Luce Trading, the Gestalts agreed to…to illegally smuggle in Cilvekans into Porta Persa…”

Wonwoo turned his gaze back at you and Soonyoung as if he had realized something. His eyes were blank and his lips ajar as he uttered the same last words he had said like a whispered chant—clearly, it was a huge epiphany.

“I think we might’ve ran into something much bigger than we had expected.”

◇

Dusk was already settling on the horizon when you were able to return to your gaudy dorm room; painting the marble white walls in a gradient of pink skies and sunset orange. You hesitated before turning the doorknob which usually led to the common room—wondering if Lee Jihoon went back earlier than usual, and what you were going to do about it considering what had happened a few weeks ago.

There was really nothing left to say.

You shook those thoughts away and just braced yourself for the unforeseen. It made no sense to overthink situations which happened weeks ago. Lee Jihoon’s presence in the dorm was pretty much lacking ever since the whole Cilvekan issue had blown up. He might’ve forgotten it already and it made you look ridiculous being so hung up over it.

Unsurprisingly, the common room was empty and you only sighed at your dramatics. You thought something had changed between you and Jihoon that night, but it seemed like it was only your imagination. The dorm was as empty as when you had first arrived a few months ago.

With an innocuous shrug, you stepped away from the doorway and went for the dinner table. The suppressant you had drank from last night was wearing off and you needed another dose before that invasive voice in your head starts speaking again. You were glad that your body had finally developed a tolerance to the painful side effects of the suppressants, or else, people would’ve easily noticed how much pain you were trying to conceal.

Opening your pack of alchemical compounds and ingredients, you took a transparent olive green bottle and swirled it around to agitate the particles that had settled to the bottom. Removing the cork, you took a whiff of the godawful scent and simply prepared yourself for the equally rancid taste.  Before you could though, you…hesitated.

Hm?

You looked down on the bottle you were holding, the solution inside swirling as much as your mind was. Why were you hesitating? What was stopping you from taking another dose from the same suppressant you had been drinking for the past month? It was strange. Truly strange that you were making a decision over such a simple task that you had done over and over again for the past few months.

Didn’t you want to block that voice? Didn’t you want to prevent yourself from hurting that’s why you’re doing this? Then why are you hesitating? What’s stopping you from drinking?

“I feel heavy…”

You muttered softly as if any more weight in your voice could make it more unbearable. It was indeed strange—every time you decided to drink it, the heavier your heart becomes as if some parts of it were slowly turning into ice. You felt guilty for something; felt sorry for something you had no idea of. Could it be that you were actually feeling remorseful for the things you’ve done to your soulmate?

Gazing at the bottle one more time, you only felt more sick and grossed out; your stomach belching. It was like the dark liquid inside was a direct representation of all the hate and cold heartedness brewing inside your heart, and you didn’t like how it looked. It felt like some kind of cruel karma finally hitting you back.

Please don’t leave me…

A voice echoed in your head. You instantly panicked, afraid that it was really your soulmate, but it wasn’t. It was Jihoon’s voice. Jihoon wasn’t your soulmate.

Please don’t reject me. I’m sorry…

You didn’t know how to describe the pressure, the pain wringing your heart. It was excruciating. You felt sick. The look on Jihoon’s face that night was all your mind’s eye could see; the way he pleaded for you to stay by his side; the way he held you tightly between his arms as if you were going to slip away at any second. It was like you had caused him direct pain even if you didn’t know how or why.

“Jihoon…”

Your eyes wandered to the bottle in your hands again, but this time you stuck the cork back in, sealing it away for now. Whether or not you’ll stop taking them was a decision you weren’t ready to make. For now, it was best not to tempt karma.

Before you could utter another word however, you heard the main door open and you hurriedly cleaned up your mess on the table. You placed the green bottle in its usual place, glancing at it with thoughts in your head, before dismissing them altogether.

“Y/N? I didn’t know you’d be here,” a familiar voice echoed across the room, making you turn in an instant.

Jihoon was still clad in his formal attire—an all-black suit that made him look like he was going to a funeral. He had been busy running around gathering support for the petition he was championing and it had truly been an exhausting day. He had just finished hanging his coat over the sofa when you averted your attention to him.

“I—well, this is also my dorm so…” you awkwardly replied, your hands gesturing wildly.

“Ah, right, right. Sorry,” Jihoon replied, now a bit embarrassed of his rather obvious observation before he decided to walk away from you.

Considering his usual attitude, you assumed that he would immediately march his way towards his room and lock himself away from the outside world. However, the fact that he was still in the common room, pacing back and forth like some anxious teenager, debating internally if he wanted this or that remain, hinting that he was not done yet.

“Jihoon…?” You asked, slightly worried about him.

“I—“ he began, then wavered, his mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish. It was embarrassing, but he just couldn’t find the courage to say what he wanted to say. Not after the fact that he had cried in front of you that night.

“Are…are you ok?” Your brows were furrowed, now wondering what was the matter with him. “I can make some basic potions—“

“No! No, I’m fine. I’m fine,” Jihoon interrupted and then pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “It’s just, well…you remember a few weeks ago when I got drunk? I realized I haven’t thanked you yet and I just wanted to make it up to you and well…”

Upon hearing his words, you immediately raised your brows in surprise. This was definitely not what you had expected.

“No, it’s ok! You don’t have to thank me!” you replied, now a tad bit embarrassed as well, as you gave him a small smile.

“But I want to,” he said with the usual firmness in his voice, glad that it was back. “And despite being roommates, we never had the chance to get to know each other better.”

“Oh,” was the only thing you could say at that time. He had a point though—you both were partners back in that stupid ball, plus he had seen your breakdown before and you had already seen him crying. You both should just call it quits and end the not-so ‘indifferent’ relationship you had between the two of you.

“Maybe we could have dinner together…?” Jihoon asked tentatively as he checked his pocket watch. “I know a place you might like.”

“Out-outside?” You asked, wholly astonished by how fast things had turned out. “I-uh…”

Honestly, there was no harm in having dinner with your roommate. You already live virtually together, so what’s a small dinner to the both of you anyway? And for some deeper reason, you wanted to indulge him. Maybe because you felt sorry for him that night, maybe you had grown fond of him over time, you don’t know. You weren’t sure. Maybe something did change that night.

“Only if you want to, of course. We can eat here as well—“

“It’s fine, Jihoon,” you interrupted, fiddling with your fingers because you couldn’t bear to look at him, especially with how fast your heart was racing. “Let’s have dinner together.”

◇

It was a rather lovely night outside.

The skies were dark and the moon and stars were twinkling brightly underneath you. Yet what caught your attention the most was where Jihoon had taken you for dinner.

Lanterns of various colors lit up above you, hanging on string and bathing the whole area in a warm and vibrant glow. There was live music as bands strum their mandolins and played their fiddles, creating an ambiance of celebration and vivid colors.

A lot of people had gathered in the area, raucous laughter and loud chatting could be heard from everywhere. All of these placed next to a cliff side which had the best view of Porta Persa at night; the lights from houses and street lamps shimmering against the dark backdrop of the port city like distant stars high above the night sky. It was truly a sight to behold, especially when things had gotten tense and gloomy lately.

“It’s a night market,” Jihoon explained, still clad in his all black attire though he had removed his tie and unbuttoned the first two on his shirt. “Since the ports are where most tourists enter Porta Persa, we coordinated with all the local governments in the country and established a night market to boast the different cuisines found in Porta Persa.”

Your eyes were still filled by the sights while Jihoon began talking, yet despite that, you were listening to him intently, and his explanation just made you explode with amazement.

“Oh wow! Really? That’s actually quite ingenious!” You exclaimed with a bright smile, turning to him as you both walked around to check the stalls. “We should definitely feature this in the Edition! Look at what most people are missing out!”

Jihoon made a small smile at your comment, watching as you checked every single food stall for something you haven’t seen yet. He liked it when you were just having fun, unbothered by the problems of the world—just genuinely at the moment, smiling and laughing in front of him. If you could stay like that, he felt like he was at peace.

“Look Jihoon!” you called out to him excitedly, on your hands was a grilled fish on a stick. “This is a delicacy from the Oihe region! They would soak the fish for a month in Rejhu juice, which is a fruit only found there that has impressive preservation properties, and then grill it! It could go on for several months which is perfect for the region’s harsh cold climate. That’s what the lady told me though.”

“I haven’t tried that yet,” he remarked, and then smirked, “Maybe I’ll take some from your share.”

“Eh…but this is mine,” you pursed your lips and turned your head. “You go buy your own.”

Acting like a petulant child, Jihoon couldn’t help but chuckle at your antics, much to your chagrin. With an irate expression, you looked at him, who was covering half of his face with his hand as he laughed—you didn’t really appreciate being laughed at.

“What’s the matter?” you asked with your eyebrows knitting, your hands on your waist.

“No, no, I’m sorry,” he replied, still in his laughing fit which eventually subsided into a smirk in a few moments. “I just—I never expected you to act like this at all.”

“Act?” you leaned your head to the side in bewilderment. “But I’m always like this.”

“I always thought you were the serious type, you know,” Jihoon explained, his lips curving; his eyes glistening against the vivid golden lights up above you. “I just never anticipated you could be so adorably childish as well.”

“Adorably childish?!” you repeated, now a bit flustered that you had been acting that way the whole time. “That—that was never my intention!”

Jihoon only smiled at you and patted your head gently. “It’s okay. I like it.”

You couldn’t muster a reply to that comment because of how heated your face had become. No one really complimented you like that, and above all, it was Lee Jihoon who did it—the same person you were rather indifferent four months ago.

“Come on, let’s go have some dinner,” he simply said without further ado. Taking in your silence, Jihoon decided to move on and walk around the market, leaving you in your thoughts.

In the end, both you found yourselves sitting on a table with a clear view of the Porta Persa skyline, giving the situation a rather romantic ambiance which you never really had planned on. Before you, warm food of various origins were placed neatly on the table, waiting to be eaten and fill your hungry stomachs.

“You have…. rather interesting choices,” you remarked upon seeing Jihoon’s meal of choice while you carefully dissected your fish from before.

“Hm?” Jihoon looked up to you with a questioning look, a fork and a knife on his hands. “Oh, these are from Santaragossa. They might be a bit spicy, but I do miss them from time to time.”

“Ah, you were from Santaragossa? I always thought you were born and raised in the capital,” you replied, taking a sip from a citrus fruit blend you found rather interesting.

“Why so?” he asked, downing a piece of braised meat. “I assumed I gave an impression of someone from the provinces.”

“Not at all,” you gave him an austere look. “You seem like you run the place.”

“Do I now?” Jihoon asked, his lips again curving into a tiny smirk. “I never realized you thought of me that way. I appreciate your sentiments though.”

“But what is it like?” you suddenly asked. “I mean, living in Santaragossa?”

Jihoon leaned his head to the side, wondering why you were asking him this so suddenly.

“That place was my childhood. The summers were cool and the winters were not too cold. Most of the land are large vineyards and olive groves so I would run around a lot and play with the animals and so on. There is also a large lake near the house which is a great place to swim in during summer months. I do have private tutors, so please don’t get the wrong idea that I wasn’t in school.”

As you watched him talk about his hometown, you noticed how Jihoon had brightened up, rekindling fond memories from his childhood. He seemed to be at peace and less troubled than he was a few hours before, and it gave you a sense of serenity as well, gazing at him like what you were doing at that moment.

“Just by looking at you, I could already tell that it’s such a great place,” you remarked, grinning. “I’ve never really left the capital before, that’s why I always wanted to go to one of the provinces. Since you definitely sold me the idea, I might want to go to Santaragossa someday, given the opportunity.”

A thought struck Jihoon in an instant.

“Hypothetically speaking, if I’d invite you to come with me to Santaragossa next week, would you go?”

At that very moment, in the middle of a night market, you were stunned to silence.

-Hyeri CHAP 1 | CHAP 2 | CHAP 3 | CHAP 4 | CHAP 5 | CHAP 6 |